You will need to sign on with your LLLID (La Leche League ID) before you can post. If you have never claimed your LLLID, create your LLLID now. To sign in, click the LLLID Sign On button in the upper right corner. Enter your LLLID Alias and click the button again.

Re: Latching, but not moving milk

My baby had a milk transfer issue due to TT and a weak suck. We ended up seeing a speech language pathologist in addition to having her frenulum clipped by an ENT. The SLP gave us some exercises to do to help strengthen her mouth while eating, including stretching out and compressing the skin around her mouth a few times a day, and lightly holding her chin and cheeks while feeding. We were never able to use an SNS because she simply didn't suck hard enough to get milk out that way.

But, after TT was fixed, the biggest factor was time. I would always put her to the breast, then bottle, then pump, and it was exhausting. Many times I wanted to quit but just thought to myself, "one more feed." By about 8 weeks I was comfortable just EBF most of the time. By 3 months we were pros. And I never thought we would get there, but she turned 10 months yesterday and we are still going strong.

So hang in there!! Like PP said, it will take your LO some time to re-learn to nurse after TT has been fixed. Using an SNS is a good option for avoiding bottle preference and getting the baby to the breast. Mine liked to hang out at the breast and never developed a bottle preference, even with all the bottles we had to give her so early, so we got lucky there.

Re: Latching, but not moving milk

Originally Posted by @llli*Paytek

I am so jealous when I hear people say that nursing at night is so much better--because you can just latch them while lying down and go back to sleep. :/

Just FYI It takes many moms & babies several weeks if not months to learn to nurse sidelying, less than 3 weeks old would be early to be doing this with your first baby, even if you had no other issues. Plus would you have to use an sns all the time? You could still work on sidelying for some nursing sessions, after all, you can nurse as frequently as baby will and offer to nurse as much as you like.

I am still confused about when the IBCLC saw you and baby-pre or post clip?

Frankly if a baby had that much of a weight loss, I am not surprised it took over two weeks to get back to birth weight. The rule of thumb is for baby to be back to birth weight by 10-14 days, when there are no extraordinary circumstances. A baby with tt and more than average initial loss would naturally take a bit longer.

Did your IBCLC do more than one pre/post nursing weight check? How often are you checking weight gain at this point? How is babies output? (poops)

Is nursing comfortable for you now? Is baby nursing a minimum of 12 times a day? Have you tried breast compressions for improving intake?

What I am thinking is that just because baby did not transfer well pre and immediately post clip, did not transfer well at one IBCLC appt, and took slightly longer than average to regain birth weight, does not mean that at this point, supplementing is necessary? Things change rapidly in the early weeks, and especially this is so for a baby who faced a physical barrier to breastfeeding.

Re: Latching, but not moving milk

I'm curious about some of the answers Meg asked. Was the weigh and feed before or after the frenulum being clipped? Both my boys were born with TT and DS2 had his clipped at 4 days. Before the procedure he was losing weight. His weight loss was in normal range when we left the hospital but then he continued to lose weight even though my milk had come in because he couldn't remove it. He latched pretty well and everything looked normal from the outside, but he wasn't getting enough. After the procedure he was really tired from the busy day in the hospital and didn't eat well for a day or two, but then started to gain weight within a week or so. Although he started off slow he started to gain rapidly from that point on. It is possible to get your baby nursing and gaining, I would say to put the baby to breast as much as possible. I know you mentioned in the other thread that you are military and have to return to work at 6 weeks. I am also in the military and had to do the same, and I have to tell you it was a lot easier to manage while nursing. With DS1 I ended up pumping exclusively because of his TT that the ENT refused to cut at the Army hospital and I pumped for over a year. Nursing was so much easier, so stick with it, even if it means using the SNS for a bit.

Beth

Exclusively pumped for Lance Oct 07
Nursed until just before he turned 3 Levi Oct 09

Do you have extra milk? Consider donating!http://www.hmbana.org/:
"So I was welcomed by the consolations of human milk; but it was not my mother or my nurses who made any decision to fill their breasts, but you who through them gave me infant food, in accordance with your ordinance and the riches which are distributed deep in the natural order." -St Augustine

Re: Latching, but not moving milk

I'm not sure, but I have good news. Right after I posted this, I put him to the breast and he moved milk. Emptied my right breast in about 15-20 minutes. It was a beautiful thing.

I am still confused about when the IBCLC saw you and baby-pre or post clip?

Many times before and after. Another appointment on Monday.

Did your IBCLC do more than one pre/post nursing weight check? How often are you checking weight gain at this point? How is babies output? (poops)

Is nursing comfortable for you now? Is baby nursing a minimum of 12 times a day? Have you tried breast compressions for improving intake?

She does the weight check everytime we see her.
His weight gain at this point is fine. 50 grams a day
His output is about as often as he eats, sometimes twice as often as he eats.

See, nursing wasn't uncomfortable for me to begin with--which was what baffled the IBCLC. She said typically with tongue tie, the latch hurts. His didn't and it seemed fine. He averages 16 ish times a day.

The IBCLC said that since he had his frenulum snipped, she would take it as a tincture of time thing.. and see me again in a week. To keep getting him to breast often.

I have been--and it's paid off. He gets to breast, he latches, his suck is sturdy, and he moves milk now. We just have to wait til Monday to see her again to see exactly how much milk he's moving at one time.